Circle the date. The CIAA is about to give us a heavyweight clash with national implications. Virginia Union University (VUU) and Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU)—two HBCU programs sitting inside the AFCA and D2Football.com Top 25 polls—are set to collide in a matchup that feels less like mid-September and more like late-November playoff football.
Poll Heat: Bulls Rising, Panthers Sliding
The latest AFCA Coaches Poll has Johnson C. Smith climbing to #21 after a 3-0 start, while Virginia Union tumbled to #22 after last week’s gut-punch loss. On the D2Football.com Top 25, Union sits higher at #15, but JCSU has crept in at #23—a clear sign that the Golden Bulls are officially on the national radar.
Translation: JCSU is trending up. VUU is trying to shake off a tough loss. And both need this win to stay in the national conversation.
Johnson C. Smith: Survive and Advance
JCSU isn’t winning pretty—but they’re winning. Saturday’s 21–17 escape at Elizabeth City State was a perfect example. Quarterback Kelvin Durham is quietly one of the most efficient arms in Division II, hitting nearly 70% of his throws and already racking up five touchdowns. The backfield duo of Bobby Smith and Antonio Crim has powered a ground game that averages almost 80 yards per contest.
And when it matters most? The Golden Bulls deliver. Their defense—allowing just 14 points per game—locked down ECSU late to keep the unbeaten run alive.
Virginia Union: Reeling but Dangerous
Virginia Union’s loss in the Unity Classic still stings. Upstart Edward Waters snatched a 41–38 win with a walk-off field goal, and suddenly, the Panthers look mortal. But don’t get it twisted—this is still a Top 25 team with one of the CIAA’s most loaded rosters.
Curtis Allen is a monster running back, leading the league at 176 yards per game. Quarterback RJ Rosales has shown big-play potential with three early touchdown passes. And the offense as a whole? They’re hanging 41.5 points per game, tops in the CIAA.
The question isn’t if Union can score—it’s whether they can close.
Why This Game Hits Different
Last season, JCSU shocked Union in Charlotte. The upset became one of the most emotional episodes of Season 2 of HBCU Gameday’s Brick x Brick with JCSU Football docuseries. Season 3 cameras will roll again as these ranked rivals line it up under the lights in Richmond, VA.
It’s more than a matchup—it’s a Division II HBCU measuring stick. A win keeps you climbing in the polls and sets the tone for a possible playoff run. A loss? And suddenly you’re chasing the rest of the pack.
The Bottom Line
This is HBCU football at its best: ranked teams, passionate fanbases, and stakes that reach far beyond the conference conversation. JCSU wants to prove its rise isn’t a fluke. VUU wants to remind everyone that despite a close loss, they’re still the back-to-back CIAA champs and playoff game winners.
When these two step on the field, expect fireworks—and expect the polls to look very different come Monday.